Mute



Feb. 2 3 ,1926.

J. K. HQFFMAN MUT E Filed Sept. 2, 1921 mi n z m nu Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH KEMP HOFFMAN, O BALTIMORE, IYIARYLAND.

MUTE.

Application led September 2, 1921.

Sit-ate of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mutes, of

'which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relates to a mute for use in muttiing the tones of wind instruments such as cornets, bugles, trombones and the like.

Most of the mutes in use with which I am familiar at the present time are constructed of metal, papier-mch, guttapercha or similar substances, all of which are of such a nature that they either alter or tend to alter the pitch of the instrument with which they are used. And furthermore, mutes constructed of metal impart a strident quality to the tone of the instrument which is Very objectionable; mutes of papier-mch absoi b moisture which causes the mute to break down after a short time, and mutes of gut apercha do not have the ability to impart a well modulated tone to the notes issuing from the instrument. Therefore, one of the objects of the prese-nt invention is to provide a mute embodying the highly resonant features of thin wood, together with the lasting qualities thereof.

Anotherl feature resides in providing a veneered structure built upon a hard pan or press board base, thus rendering the structure impervious to moisture.

Still another object is to provide a mute which is constructed by wrapping a base material about a mandrel of conical form until the edges meet in a butt joint, then placing an overlying strip along the butt joint, and finally wrapping the conical base with a wood veneer and then closing onel end of the mute thus formed with a substantially non-vibrating diaphragm.

With the above, and other objects in view, l will now describe a specific form of the invention which I have shown in the accom panying drawings by way of illustration, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View showing the manner of forming the base of the mute.

Fig. Q. is a similar view showing` the base formed on the mandrel and with the wood veneer ready to be applied thereto.

j the mandrel.

Serial N0. 497,905.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a com pleted mute.

Fig. i is a transverse section of the completed mute, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the completed mute. y

In detail:

The mute, as herein shown is formed on a tapered or conical shaped mandrel l having the spindle 2 for mounting in a lathe or the like.

In forming the base of the mandrel a piece of press board or other suitable substance is cut to substantially triangular form with the apex removed and is wrapped about the mandrel in such a manner that the opposite edges of the press board meet in a butt joint. The meeting edges of this joint are held in position by a strip indicated at ff, the press board base being shown at 2. rThe strip 3 overlies the edges and is cemented or otherwise suitably secured in place. i

A thin piece of wood veneer, with the t-bei's or grain thereof running lengthwise, is then cut to substantially the same shape as the press board blank which forms the bese and is wrapped around the exterior of the base while the latter is still mounted on The wood veneer is wrapped in such a manner that its meeting edges form a butt joint diametrically opposite the butt joint of the base. With reference io Figs. 2 and t it will be seen that the wood veneer is indicated at 4 and is wrapped around the mandrel, or rather around the base 2, in such a manner that the butt joint formed at 5 is directly opposite the butt joint G of the base. Before applying the wood veneer the exterior surface of the press board base is suitably prepared to receive the same, that is by the addition of a coating of cement, glue or other substance so that the wood veneer adheres in position.

The body of the mute, after being built up in this manner, is ready to receive 'the diaphragm 7 which forms the closure for the larger .end of thebody. This diaphragm is sufficiently heavy, with respect to the remainder of the body, to be substantially non-vibrating under the intiuence of tones issuing from the instruments with which the mute is used. T he diaphragm 7 is built up of three plies 8, 9 and 10 of wood suitably cemented together and with the grain of each ply being at right angles to the grain of adjacent plies.

The diaphragm is inserted endwise into the larger end ot the body and cemented in place securely.

On the exterior ol' the mute body are cemented gripping members ll, l2 and 13 which serve to space the mute from the bell of the cornet or other instrument with which it is used so that the tones may by-pass the mute at the side, thus extracting the stride-nt or jazz center tones which issue from the instrument.

To protect the smaller end of the imite from injury a metallic Yferrule 11 is crimped or otherwise secured over the edge of the mute body at the small end.

It is .obvious that with this construction I have provided a mute which is not subject to any of the defects inherent in metallic, papier-mch or gutta-percha mutes and consequently provide a device which will stand up under continued use. Furthermore, the resonant qualities of the wood serve to imparta very mellow tone to the instrument with which the mute is used and which is enhanced by the substantially nonvibrating qualities ot the end diaphragm 7 of the mute.

lhile, in the foregoing, I have described ay specific embodiment ot' my invention, it is nevertheless to be` understood that in earrying the same into practice I may resort to any and all modifications :falling Within the scope of the appended claims defining the invention.

I claim:

l. A mute comprising a lrustoconical hollow press board base; a veneering olf wood applied to the exterior thereof and a diaphragm closing` the larger end of the base, the various elements being permanently secured together.

2. A mute comprising a hollow press board base, the edges ot' said base being brought together in a butt joint; a wood veneer-ino' applied to the exterior of said base and having the edges thereof brought together in a butt joint, said joints standing in staggered relation; means overlying and sealing the buttA joint otl the base; and a diaphragm closing one end ot said base, the various parts being permanently secured together.

3. i mute ot the type described comprising a hollow eonoidal shaped body having its exterior formed of wood veneer, and a diaphragm ot wood, relatively heavy with respect to the body portion, tor closing the butt or larger end ot the body and secured thereto, said diaphragm being composed ot' a plurality of laminations or plies ot' wood secured together with the grain ot' each ply arranged substantially at right angles to the grain of tl e adjacent plies.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto atix my signature.

JOSEPH KEMP HOFFMAN. 

